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News Blog

Conference LiveBlog: Daryl Collins, Co-Author of Portfolios of the Poor: How the World’s Poor Live on $2 a Day

by Opportunity International

This morning at the Opportunity International Conference, Daryl Collins, co-author of Portfolios of the Poor: How the World’s Poor Live on $2 a Day, spoke from the main stage about the financial portfolios of people in poverty and the impact that savings has to mitigate the effects of their uncertain financial futures. Highlights from Daryl’s Presentation Forty percent of the world live on $2 a day or less and if you live on $2 a day it’s easy to assume… You live hand-to-mouth You can’t…

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Conference LiveBlog: Karen and Ronnie Lott, of Opportunity International’s Board of Governors

by Opportunity International

At the final presentation of this morning’s first plenary session of the conference, philanthropists Ronnie and Karen Lott, members of Opportunity International’s Board of Governors, spoke about what brought them to support Opportunity, their life-changing experience meeting client Talekeleni Kagaso on an Insight Trip to Malawi, and why they’re passionate about helping people in poverty. From the Lotts’ speech… Karen: We are grateful to be here with you today to share just a little about…

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Conference LiveBlog: Reeta Roy Accepts the 2011 International Women’s Leadership Award on Behalf of The Mastercard Foundation

by Opportunity International

Today, Betsy Perdue, co-chair of the Women’s Opportunity Network (WON), presented Reeta Roy, President and CEO of The Mastercard Foundation, with WON’s 2011 International Women’s Leadership Award. Roy accepted the award on behalf of the Foundation, honored for its role in supporting and inspiring global women entrepreneurs. By increasing access to microfinance and youth education in developing countries, the Foundation helps women realize their potential and lift themselves out of poverty.…

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Conference LiveBlog: Aleksandr-Alain Kalanda, CEO of Opportunity Malawi

by Opportunity International

This morning, the impassioned and inspiring Aleksandr-Alain Kalanda, CEO of Opportunity Malawi, spoke at the conference plenary session about the triumphs of launching Opportunity International Bank of Malawi (OIBM) in 2003–offering formal financial services to impoverished people in Malawi–and the ongoing challenges they still need to address in order to access more of that country. Through Aleksandr and Opportunity Malawi, we truly see the power of microfinance at work. Highlights from Aleksandr-Alain…

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Conference LiveBlog: Dr. Julie Howard of USAID’s Feed the Future

by Opportunity International

Dr. Julie Howard, the U.S. Government’s Deputy Coordinator for Development for the Feed the Future initiative, shares her background, and her perspectives on food security and global hunger from the main stage today at the Opportunity International Conference. Highlights from Dr. Howard’s presentation I have always wanted to work to implement a different kind of development assistance, one that works with NGOs, and was doing so starting ten years ago. Then, almost a year ago, administrator Shah…

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Conference LiveBlog: Steven Levy, Senior Writer for Wired Magazine

by Opportunity International

Kicking off this second Friday plenary session of the morning, Steven Levy, Senior Writer for Wired magazine, and author of In The Plex: How Google Thinks, Works, and Shapes Our Lives, talks about technology and how innovative thinking in the technological sector can truly offer solutions to the biggest global issues. Highlights from Steven Levy’s presentation A few years ago I wrote a story about computer hackers and expected a disheveled group of people. But what I found was a group of people…

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Conference LiveBlog: Ambassador Tony Hall of the Alliance to End Hunger

by Opportunity International

Ambassador Tony Hall is a long-time and tireless advocate for issues of global hunger and poverty eradication, serving as executive director of the Alliance to End Hunger. This morning, Dennis Ripley, Opportunity’s senior vice president of international business development, interviewed Ambassador Hall from the main stage at Opportunity’s conference, sharing his story and how we can affect global food crises. Highlights from the Conversation with Ambassador Tony Hall Hall: I fasted thirty years…

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Conference LiveBlog: Nadine Pembele, Head of Training at Opportunity DR Congo

by Opportunity International

This third and final plenary session of the day opens with remarks by Mary Lynn Staley, chair of the Opportunity International Board of Governors. She introduces Nadine Pembele, Head of Training for Opportunity International in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Highlights from Nadine Pembele’s Presentation I am very honored to have the opportunity to join you this weekend, and to speak to you all tonight. I’d like to give you a brief snapshot of my country. The DRC, once known as Zaire,…

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Conference LiveBlog: John Ortberg, Author and Pastor of the Menlo Park Presbyterian Church in California

by Opportunity International

This evening, John Ortberg, pastor at the Menlo Park Presbyterian Church in California, spoke from the conference mainstage about why it is important to value every individual person with help and with compassion, because every person is worthy of God’s love. Highlights from Pastor Ortberg’s Speech I’d like to take a few moments to think with you why it’s worth all the labor, all the sacrifice to relieve suffering and battle poverty, when you’re only one person. What it’s really about…

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Breakout Session: Why Women? Why Now?

by Emily Riemer

In families where women have an income, they have a voice in financial decisions, resulting in better nutrition, health and education for children–including girls. In this breakout session, we learned more about why and how Opportunity International invests the majority of its dollars in serving the most vulnerable people on the planet–women. Panelists shared stories of hope and transformation from their daily work at Opportunity, or their Insight Trip and travel experiences to meet our women…

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